Surrey, B.C. – September 12, 2025: Former Surrey mayor Doug McCallum is calling on Premier David Eby and the B.C. NDP government to act urgently to protect Surrey residents, accusing the province of tying police hands with what he says is the country’s toughest charge approval threshold.
At a Surrey Police Board meeting on September 11, Surrey Police Service (SPS) leaders revealed that there have been 39 extortion attempts against South Asian-owned businesses this year, with 27 linked shootings. McCallum warned that criminals remain on the streets because police must first clear an “excessively high” evidentiary bar with Crown Counsel before charges can be laid—unlike other provinces where police can proceed directly.
“This is unacceptable. Businesses in Surrey are being terrorized, families are being threatened, shots are being fired, and yet police have their hands tied because the NDP insists on a system that makes it harder to lay charges than anywhere else in Canada,” McCallum said. “B.C. is an outlier, and it’s making our communities less safe.”
McCallum said the extortion campaign is no longer just a Surrey issue, noting similar incidents are spreading across Metro Vancouver, Alberta, and Ontario. He is demanding the province:
- Lower the charge approval threshold for extortion and violent crime cases.
- Allow Surrey Police to lay charges directly, as police forces in other provinces can.
- Offer a $500,000 reward for information leading to arrests in the extortion network.
“Surrey Police officers are working seven days a week, around the clock, to protect our community. But the NDP government’s red tape means investigators can’t move fast enough to get criminals off our streets,” McCallum added.
He concluded with a direct appeal to the government: “Every day they delay is another day businesses face threats, another day families live in fear. Lower the threshold. Give Surrey Police the power to do their job. Put up a reward. And make Surrey safe again.”
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